An Oath Kept
by Stark Snow
Summary: The Gods send Catelyn's spirit back in time after the Red Wedding because of the breaking of guest rights. What difference will loving a motherless child make in The Game of Thrones?
1. Chapter 1

_ I do not own Game of Thrones!_

She woke with a gasp, swearing she could still feel the steel of the blade biting into the skin of her neck. Breathing heavy she glanced quickly around the room, confused to find herself home in Winterfell. Even more confusing was the rattling shallow breaths she could hear coming from the small figure in the bed before her. She remembered a scene like this from so long ago, how she had prayed to the seven to let the child live, how she had made promises to her Gods, and then never kept them.

Reaching forward she gathered the small boy into her arms, alarmed at the heat she could feel radiating off him, while being comforted by the weight she felt in her arms telling her that this was real, that he was real. She made her way over to the window and gazed up at the star filled sky, "I know I failed the last time I promised to love this child, but I won't fail again. If you let him live, spare my family the fate I saw, I will love this child as if he were my own. He will mean as much to me as any of my children."

"Cat?" She turned at the sound of her lord husband's voice.

"Send a raven to Kings Landing Ned, ask Robert to make Jon a Stark." She turned pleading eyes to the confused man in the doorway, but she knew she had to make her wishes known now before she had the chance to change her mind. She would do whatever it took to stop the butchering of her family.

"You're tired, you've been up with Jon all night." Ned said, shaking his head and she coulf feel the desperation welling up inside her.

"NO, you must write to Robert tonight, right now, Jon must become a Stark." She could not go back on her word to the Gods a second time.

She could see Ned fighting a war within himself, but never would she have expected his response, "I can't," it was so simple, yet so devastating at the same time. She knew she had to change his mind, the lives of their children depended on it.

"You must," She was preparing herself for a fight, but Ned's response stole all the fight she had within her.

He closed the door, though the possibility of them being overheard at this late hour was next to impossible, "I can't have him legitimized because is no bastard, is name is Aegon Targaryen, true born son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark."

It felt as if her world was crumbling around her, she remembered every horrible thing she had done to the small child in her arms in the dream, vision, past life, whatever you wanted to call it, all because she thought he was a sign of her husband dishonoring her. She didn't know how long her husband stood there watching her studying the child in her arms, her remembering the handsome young man he would grow into. Wondering if he would be as broody and sad if he grew up knowing a mothers love, knowing her love. "Write to Robert, it will give him that much more protection, no one will see Aegon Targaryen in Jon Stark. You are right, he can never truly be Jon Stark, but only you and I shall ever know that that is who he truly is."

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Jon's fever broke that very night, and Catelyn sent one of the servant girls to inform her husband, not relinquishing the child she now swore she would love. The royal decree coming almost a year later naming the boy Jon Stark.

She could still remember the hatred she felt for the child in her vision, as she had taken to calling it, and it was those feelings that drove her to try harder this time around with Jon. Whenever it was just her and Ned with the two boys she made sure to take a more active role in Jon's life, not wanting to risk slipping into what felt like old habits. It was that care that led to the strong bond she had with the small, shy child.

Her heart melted every time Jon would excitedly show her a new discovery or trick he had learned, much like it would with Robb. Jon loved to feel each of his siblings move when she carried them in her stomach, he could spend hours laying with his head on her bump singing to the babe within. She was reminded of the stories she heard of Rhaegar, and marveled at how like him his son was, also wondering if her hatred of the child had destroyed that part of him in the vision.

"He will make a fine brother one day." She overheard her good-brother telling her husband one day, and glanced out into the yard to see Jon and Robb sparing.

"The Nights Watch may be a noble cause, buy they will never have any of my children, Jon will one day have a holdfast of his own, Gods know there are plenty of empty ones up here, he will have a wife, and give me grandchildren, and if you think otherwise i will string you from the nearest tree." She practically growled at the men as she stormed off, staying where she could still watch the boys.

Watching the two she couldn't help but wonder how she never saw the truth about Jon. Even at the age if 10 the boy showed the signs, especially while standing next to Robb. Jon had the coloring of a northerner, much like Robb had the coloring of a Tully, but where Robb was starting to fill out and take on the brawny build of the northerners, Jon maintained the lithe graceful build of the Targaryens, and would up until he left for the Wall.

"Be careful!" She almost yelled, barely able to prevent the words from leaving her lips, when she saw Robb knock Jon to the ground, proud when Jon still managed to block the blow Robb had intended for his head. "Watching you boys spar is to lead me to an early grave." She told them as they ran over to her and Ned, who had moved to stand beside her.

"Then maybe you shouldn't watch." Robb countered with a cheeky grin, but Jon quickly cut in.

"I like it when Mother watches us, it's more fun to beat you." She could still remember how he had only called her Lady Stark in her vision, and found she preferred Mother. She still remembered the devastation on the child's face the day he came running to her crying that his father's ward had said that she was not his mother, and had called him a bastard. It had been hard to explain to the child that while she had not given birth to him like she had his siblings she was still his mother for she chose him as her child.

"Is this your way of trying to butter me up so you don't get in trouble for letting your little sister use your bow...again." The child blushed and glanced down at his feet, missing the amused grin that passed between her and Ned.

"I caught Arya using it, and thought she would be less likely to hurt herself if I taught her." The bond between Jon and Arya was one of the few things that hadn't changed from the vision.

"That was not the sister I was speaking of." She said raising an eyebrow.

"Sansa saw me practicing with Arya, and said she wanted to try...I don't think she liked it much. Not nearly as much as Arya did." She had learned from yet another past mistake and no longer tried to stifle Arya's wild tendencies. Instead she tried to teach her daughter that a woman could be a warrior and a lady. She hoped that should her daughter ever need to she would be able to protect herself. The result had been rather pleasing to Cat as it had strengthened her bond with Arya, and had curbed some of Arya's tendencies to rebel agains becoming a lady.

Sansa on the other hand was the same proper lady from the vision, but she had been hopeful that she would take an interest in some form of combat, archery being the one she thought most fitting for a lady as it was done at a distance. She thought about encouraging her daughter to try again, while allowing Arya to try practicing with a sword when she was older. She remembered Ned telling her in her vision that he had gotten a master to come teacher the fighting style of the Braavosi. The other thing she was trying to change was Sansa's belief in the songs, that knights and princes were good and just, while still maintaining as much of her innocence as possible.

"All the same, if your sister or sisters want to learn archery I don't mind the thought of them being taught, nor do I mind you and your brother teaching them, however, I want Ser Roderick to oversee the lessons as well." She told her boys, smiling as they ran off in excitement.

"Don't look at me like that," She didn't have to turn and look at her husband to know he was smirking at her, she was also not surprised to see the pride shining in his eyes eyes." It is your words that say "Winter is Coming", I'll be damed if I lose any of my children to it." She could see the pride shining in his eyes along with something else, and realized this was right around the time her youngest would be conceived.

It seemed, at times, easy to forget what her vision said was coming for her family, easy to forget that in just a few short years her husband and sons would all be dead, all except her sweet Jon, but he too would be lost to the Nights Watch. That her sweet Sansa would be a prisoner of Kings Landing, and that her own she wolf, her little Arya would be lost to her, likely forever. She just hoped that by her brining Jon completely into the Stark fold, that she had changed that course, and saved her family.


	2. Chapter 2

_I do not own Game of Thrones!_

It was almost easy to forget the threat hanging over their heads, then Bran came home and proudly introduced her to his new direwolf cub, all of her boys showing off their new pups, while happily handing their siblings theirs. She watched as Jon helped his sisters and Rickon train their pups this time around, and wondered for the first time what relationship he'd had with his pup the in the vision.

The raven with news of Jon Arryn's death came shortly after the pups were found, followed by the King's visit. The royal parties entrance went much as she remembered it only this time she wasn't sure who she wanted to strangle more, the prince or the queen. When she saw how her eldest daughter blushed when the prince looked at her the decision was made for her.

Another change this time around were the six wolf pups sitting obediently at the feet of the six Stark children watching the procession. She almost took a sick amount of pleasure at the look of displeasure on the queen's face when she realized Jon was being presented right along side the rest of her children, reminding her of the rumors about the queen's own children in her vision.

"Don't you worry your husband's bastard will try to usurp your own children in the line of succession. I mean, that is what bastards do." the queen said that night at dinner, and she saw how Jon's face fell, and how the white wolf at his feet licked his hand in show of support, Robb glaring at the woman.

"Jon is as much my son as he is my lord husband's your majesty, I am the only mother he has ever known, and I know him as I know all my children. He loves his siblings as much as they love him, and none of them would ever do anything to harm each other." She smiled warmly at the owner of the adoring dark gray that turned to meet hers, giving an imperceptible when that look turned questioning.

She watched sadly as the boy left the hall, giving him five minutes to compose himself before excusing herself to follow him. She knew he was still haunted by the news that he was a bastard, it was one of the reasons he never accompanied Robb and Theon to the brothels, he never wanted to disgrace his future wife the way people spoke of Ned disgracing her. As such, he vowed he would never father a bastard of his own.

Her thoughts were interrupted by voices, and she hung back in the shadows listening to Tyrion Lannister of all people counseling her son on self acceptance. She remembered reports from Kings Landing in her vision saying the little lord had stepped in many times to protect Sansa, how he might just be the only man alive that Joffrey truly feared, how he had designed a saddle for Bran that allowed him to ride, and how the Lannister prisoners from the war, the low born ones, had called him the only decent Lannister alive. Seeing him now, comforting a child many high borns still looked down their noses at only drove home how wrong they had been to trust Petyr.

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"Jon, would you mind checking on your brother and Prince Tommen for me?" The King's hunting party had left early that morning, but he had not been allowed to go as Prince Joffrey did not want the "Family Bastard" around.

Nodding to his mother he set his book aside, one lent to him by lord Tyrion about dragons. It had been more of a trade as Jon had mentioned reading a book about an ice dragon he'd found in the library as a child. Lord Tyrion was instantly interested, and had proposed a swap of sorts.

Bowing to the young prince the commanded Ghost to stay back as he knew the prince was afraid of the wolves. Looking up he saw his brother almost to the top of the Broken Tower, "Bran, come down right now, mother will have both of our heads if you fall." He called up to his brother, gasping when he saw an arm reach out and grab the boy.

Thinking of nothing but his brother's safety he sprinted into the tower, unsheathing the sword his father had gifted him on his name-day. Bursting into the room at the top of the tower he arrived just in time to see the Queen's twin brother push Bran from the window.

The events that followed happened so quickly he wasn't sure he'd ever remember them properly. One moment he was watching his brother being pushed from the window, the next he's dodging a blade aimed at his head. He remembered losing his footing while trying to block blow after blow aimed to end his life, and falling down the stairs. Then a flash of white and gray sailing over his prone form with a snarl.

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He came to hours later with a splitting headache and no recollection of how he'd gotten to Bran's chambers, or why he was even there. He had opened his eyes for a few seconds, but the pain had been so miserable he had decided to keep them closed.

"I thought for sure I had changed enough, that I had stopped Bran's fall, that he wouldn't climb if he was in charge of entertaining the prince, but I only made things worse." He could hear his mother's mournful voice and wondered what she was talking about, "They didn't just try to kill one of our children this time Ned, they tried to kill two." There was more anger and hatred in her voice than he had ever heard before. "I think about how differently things could have gone had the wolves not been there, or had the Prince not obeyed Jon and run for help when they saw Bran grabbed."

"Shhhh! Things happed the way they did for a reason." Was his father's voice, "Perhaps Bran was meant to fall from the tower. From what you've told me you have changed much of your vision..."

"I've changed nothing, I've just created one more beloved child for the Lannisters to hurt. I have not changed your mind about going South, nor have I convinced you to leave the girls here. No, instead you are taking another one of my children with you to hand over to them." She was sobbing now, and he wanted nothing more to go to her and promise to watch over father and the girls, and to bring everyone home safe for her.

"The only Lannisters left in Kings Landing shall be the Queen and her children, Robert dismissed the Kingslayer from the Kingsguard, and even if he hadn't Jon's wolf made damn sure he will never hold a sword again, the man had better be thankful they were just pups, or they would have ripped out his throat."

"And Tywin Lannister gets exactly what he has always wanted, he gets his heir back, his daughter is still queen, his grandson will still sit on the Iron Throne and that little monster is still betrothed to our daughter." He had never heard his mother so furious.

"I spoke with Robert about all of these things, but he can not afford to lose Tywin Lannister as an ally, nor can he allow the realm to believe his children are bastards, at least not until Cersei has given him a trueborn son. He will be keeping her confined to her chambers, and is considering sending Marcella and Tommen to the rock never to see their mother again, and when the queen gives Robert another son Joffrey will follow, but until then the realm must have an heir. As for Sansa, Robert said it is either Joffrey, or he will marry her off to the Imp."

"Better the Imp than that sadistic monster of a prince." Jon's head was feeling worse each time they raised their voices, but his eyes just about flew open at that last one.

"Sansa would never forgive us." His sister was over the moon with the news that she would marry the prince, but he knew she also wasn't blind to his flaws, he could see the fear slowly taking up residence in her eyes when she watched the boy.

"Lord Tyrion is a good man, he spoke the truth about what he saw when he got to the tower with Ser Roderick and Maester Luwin. He wouldn't hurt me, not like Joffrey would." He couldn't keep his eyes closed any longer, and forced himself to sit up, his mother rushing to his side when she saw him moving. "Please Father, Joffrey is cruel, I don't want to marry him, and if that means I must marry Lord Tyrion then that is what I will do." He had never seen his sister so determined, "You could give us a holdfast in the North, we would be your banner men. He earned the respect of the northerners when he spoke up for Bran and Jon." She was all out pleading now, "I know he isn't handsome like the knights and princes from the songs, but mother is always saying that life is not a song, and he is a good man."

"If this is truly what you want Sansa I will talk to Robert." Their father said.

"Anything is better than Joffrey." Sansa replied, a look of fierce determination in her eyes, and with that the matter was ended. "I'm glad to see you're awake," She said as she came over to him and gently pulled him into a hug, "I'm going to go tell the others, prepare yourself for visitors, we've all been very worried." And with that she was gone.

"Is Bran ok?" It was the question he had been dying to ask since he'd first opened his eyes. Glancing to his right seeing his little brother sleeping in the bed next to the cot he had been placed on.

"Bran will be fine, but you gave us quite a scare." He was not convinced by his mother's tone, able to hear the fear in her voice, fear for Bran. She eventually realized that he didn't believe her, so relented with a sigh, "Maester Luwin says he will live, but he will never walk again." he could hear the sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry mother, I tried to get to him in time, but I wasn't fast enough." Jon tried to look away so she couldn't see how ashamed he was that he hadn't been fast enough to save his brother.

"Oh my sweet child, you are not to blame for your brother's fall. The fault lies with the Queen and her wretched brother." She smoothed his hair, kissed his forehead, and made him feel much like a small child, but he didn't mind. "Your father and I almost lost you along with your brother. Maester Luwin was almost more worried you wouldn't wake than he is for Bran. He said you could have easily broken your neck or repeatedly bashed your head in falling down those stairs." She held his face in her hands, "No mother should ever have to bury her children."

"Thank goodness I've got such a hard head then." He tried to lighten the mood, before the question burning on his brain escaped his lips. "What happened in the tower? I remember seeing an arm reach out and grab Bran, but everything after that is a blur."

"From what I've gathered, you told the young prince to go get help before running into the tower to save your brother. Thank the Gods Maester Luwin and Ser Roderick were close by, along with Lord Tyrion, as it was Lord Tyrion who calmed the child enough to get what we needed to know from him, Ser Roderick arriving at the tower just in time to see the Kingslayer preparing to deliver the final blow that would have ended your life. Had it not been for yours and Bran's wolves you would be dead, Ser Roderick never would have made it to you in time. Your Wolf ripped into the Kingslayer's sword hand, nearly ripping it off, Maester Luwin says that even if it does heal he will never be able to use it again." She actually looked pleased by this. "Now you get some rest, any more questions you have can wait till morning.


	3. Chapter 3

_I do not own Game of Thrones!_

Jon bid his mother goodbye, ready to ride off with his father to Kings Landing, but was confused as to why his mother seemed so desperate for them to do everything possible to keep their wolves with them and safe. Jon really thought nothing of it until a couple of weeks into the journey when he and Arya had snuck away to practice her sword fighting, their parents had always supported her learning, with the understanding that no was to know about it as it was an unladylike ability. Jon just secretly thought their mother wanted Arya to be underestimated as an added source of protection.

Sansa had followed them, and was sitting on the grass a short ways off, her bow sitting at her side, waiting patiently for her turn to work with her brother. Of all the Stark the two girls were by far the most skilled with a bow, though he would forever have a hard time telling which was better.

He was the one who spent the most time teaching his younger siblings as Theon Greyjoy was always following Robb like a lost pup, and making jokes when the younger ones didn't quite get something right. After seeing more than enough downtrodden looks on Sansa and Bran's faces, and having true concern that Arya might actually kill their father's ward Robb and Jon decided it would be best for Jon to do the teaching and Robb to distract Theon.

"What's this, too weak to take on a proper opponent so you have to fight a little girl?" Jon was ready to just ignore the snide voice and escort his sisters back to camp when he heard the sound of steel being drawn. "I'd be glad to give you a proper lesson bastard."

"That's live steel, Jon only has a tourney sword, it wouldn't be a fair fight." Sansa was quick to jump in, trying to diffuse the situation.

"It wouldn't be fair for the queen's bastard you mean, even with just a tourney sword Jon could beat him with one hand tied behind his back, he's one of the best fighters in Winterfell" Arya was quick to jump in, and Jon knew there would be trouble by how quickly the prince's face turned colors.

"Call me a bastard again and it will be the last thing you do." He focused all his hatred on Arya, and Jon saw Sansa reaching for her bow even as he gripped the pommel of his sword even tighter. Against a skilled fighter wielding live steel his tourney sword wouldn't stand a chance, which is why he was grateful Joffrey wasn't a skilled fighter.

"It's what you are isn't it? The bastard son of your mother's twin brother who will be shipped off to who knows where when the king puts a true heir in your mother's belly and no longer needs you to pretend." Arya fired back.

From what Jon understood the King tried to hush up the fact that there was a very real possibility that the royal children were not his trueborn children for fear that the news would destabilize the realm. He also didn't set aside the queen and send her and her children back to her father, or worse, kill them all, because he needed her father as an ally. Jon had over heard the king tell his father that the realm owed Tywin Lannister a huge debt, so could not afford to make an enemy of him. It was why Jamie Lannister had been let off so easy after trying to kill him and Bran, and had just been removed from the Kingsguard. Unfortunately, the rumors hadn't been stopped and the whispers were slowly spreading, though Jon didn't know it that truly mattered as so many people seemed to fear this Tywin Lannister that he was sure no one would go against the man whether or not the rumors were true. It seemed to him it would take something truly horrendous to stir people to move against him, and with the rumors of him being behind the slaughter of Elia Martell and her children Jon didn't think there ever would be anything.

He pushed all thoughts aside when he saw Joffrey lunge at Arya, blocking the blow meant for her with his sword. He heard Sansa's frightened scream, and blocked out everything around him so as not to be distracted in the fight. He knew the fight would have been over quickly if they had been equally armed as Joffrey had no fineness to his fighting style, his swings were wild, and big leaving plenty of openings that Jon would normally happily take advantage of, had it not been for the fact that the prince was wielding live steel, and he didn't want to risk accidentally getting his head taken off.

Eventually he saw what looked to be the safest opening, lunging forward and luckily disarming the prince. "Stay down." He growled as he tried to catch his breath, waiting to see if the prince would heed his warning. When the arrogant blond showed no signs of getting up he turned and made his way to his sister, ready to take her back to the camp. He had no time to process anything before he heard snarling, and found Nymeria had sunk her teeth into the prince while Ghost had positioned himself protectively in front of him and his sister.

"Call it off! Call it off!" The prince started shrieking, and Arya called panicking for her wolf to let the prince go, Nymeria releasing him after the first command!

"Jon! Arya!" They both turned at the sound of their father's voice, and saw him, the king, the queen, and a few members of the royal party watching them, "Take your wolves and return to our tent, your sister is worried sick."

"Please Father, don't let them hurt Nymeria, she was just trying to protect us." It was the closest he'd ever seen his sister come to tears and instantly his father softened.

"I assure you no harm come to your wolf." He then hardened his voice and turned to the king, "Will it your grace?"

"Aye, the beast is safe." The King agreed, and instantly the queen was in a rage.

"That beast mauled our son." The woman argued, obviously displeased with her husband's decision.

"Aye, after _your _son tried to attack her master when their back was turned, Joffrey got what was coming to him, got off lucky too if you ask me, i remember what the boy's wolf did to your precious brother's hand." The king seemed to get some sort of pleasure from speaking that last bit, before turning to one of the guards, "Selmy, escort the Hand's children back to his tent, make sure they come to no harm." He then turned to the queen, "You return back to your tent as well, I wont have you here for him to hide behind your skirts."

"And who will be escorting me back to my tent?" The Queen icily asked.

"You damn well know where the blasted thing is, you can make it back there yourself." Ser Barristan set off after that statement, leaving Jon and Arya no choice but to follow.

The two dutifully followed the old knight, and found their sister sobbing in their father's tent, being comforted by the Septa. "There now, see, both your brother and sister are perfectly fine."

"Thank the Gods, I didn't think I would make it back in time to tell Father that Joffrey had attacked you." Sansa sobbed as she threw her arms around him, Arya pouring their sister some water in the hopes of calming her down.

"So it was you who sent father and the king to us." the teary eyed girl nodded, "You may have just saved Nymeria's life. The Prince tried to attack when our backs were turned, but Nymeria bit him in the arm, while Ghost took up post in front of us.

"Father and King Robert saw the whole thing and silenced the queen when she started to argue that her son had been hurt." Arya was quick to jump in, excited to fill their sister in in everything she had missed.

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"Were you able to finish your lessons before you were interrupted?" Ned asked his children when he returned to the tent after making sure his friend dealt with the Queen's son.

Catelyn, Robert, and Luwin had all explained to him why they felt it important to continue the farce that Joffrey was Robert's heir, but Ned still found the deceit left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was the reason Robert refused to end the betrothal between Sansa and Joffrey, the fear that Tywin Lannister would know the prince would be set aside, and not be king. However when Ned said it was not a reason to force his daughter to marry Cercie's bastard Robert had flown off the handle and thus came the threat to marry his daughter to the Imp if he were to back out. He had never expected his daughter to speak up and say she would prefer a kind husband to a handsome one, he just wished he could have given her both.

He had feared she had heard his and Cat's entire conversation, and knew about her mother's vision, but after some questioning by Cat they found she had come into the room for news on her brothers around the time the talk had changed to marriage proposals.

He had gone to his friend and told him of their decision of the Imp over the prince, hoping Robert would relent when he realized he was not getting his way, but a a raven flew to Casterly Rock that night telling Tywin Lannister of the betrothal of his youngest son, and Ned was told that if he did anything to jeopardize the story they were trying to sell Sansa would handed over to Joffrey, bastard or not.

It went against everything he believed in to allow the lie to continue, and wondered if there would be war should Robert die without fathering a child with Cercei. They had tried to hush up the rumors about the state of undress of the twins when they had exited the broken tower, but the news that Ser Barristan had drawn his sword, ready to protect Ned Stark's bastard had made the news of everything that happened at the tower spread like wildfire. The fact that Ser Jamie had been attacked by Jon's wolf and the wold walked away with its head had not helped matters either.

He just thanked the Gods that at this time all they were were whispers. He was sure that should Robert die without a true born heir Stannis would call his banners and Westeros would be at war once again.

"We didn't get a chance to practice my archery." He gave a soft smile to his crestfallen older daughter, remembering a time when she would pretend to hate archery because her Septa said it wasn't a proper activity for a little lady. That had all come to an end on her eleventh name day when Robb, Jon, Arya, and Bran presented her with a beautiful weirwood bow. The bow was light weight and slender with rose vines climbing the length of it. Robb said it was a proper bow for a proper lady of the north, and Cat had a talk with the septa about her discouraging the girls from learning to protect themselves.

"The next time we have a chance to sneak away we shall start with archery." Jon promised his sister, and not for the first time Ned wondered what the boy would be like as a king. He quickly shook those dangerous thoughts from his mind, telling the children that they were each to make sure they had a member of the household guard with them at all times from here on out.

He waited till he was alone and most of the camp was asleep before pulling out the scroll that had come all the way from Pentos on the leg of a raven. Not for the first time he wished his wife was here to give him counsel, as the man they had charged with watching over the remaining members of Jon's actual family reported the young man's descent into madness was progressing faster and faster by the day, and that he now planned to sell his sister to a Khal in order to gain an army to invade Westeros.

It had been Cat's idea to send someone to watch over the Mad Kings two remaining children, though who to send had been a fight until the proper person practically fell into their lap. The man got close to the two by posing as a Targaryen supporter, and from there did his best to try and guide the two children. From the reports they received the boy was likely a lost cause, but their informant said the girl was sweet and loving.

He knew he would never get a message to his man in time to secret the girl away, for all he knew she was already married to the Khal. However, it wasn't like he could have brought her here, Robert would have had her killed once word reached him, no she was safer across the narrow sea.


	4. Chapter 4

_I do not own Game of Thrones!_

"He moves like his father." Ned spun quickly from where he was watching Jon spar with one of his household guards to see Ser Barristan had not taken his eyes off the boy below. The old knight turned to look at him, and sensed his worry, "You've done a good job hiding him, I don't think I would have seen the signs had I not spent so much time with the man, training him, myself."

He could see the deep regret the man carried at not being able to be there to protect Jon's true father, and remembered the stories of how close the two were. "Cat and I are his mother and father, we may not have created him, but he is ours as much as any of our children." He firmly told the old knight.

"For his sake it is best the realm continue to believe that as well." Was the response he got, and he saw nothing but honesty and a desire to protect in the man's eyes. It was the he decided to take a leap of faith, and pray he'd not chosen wrong.

"He is not affected by the summer heat down here like the rest of the Northmen are." He said it more to himself than his companion, watching how Jon was exerting more energy, but sweating much less then all the rest of his men whether they were training or watching the sparing.

"His father wasn't affected by the heat either, said the heat was in his blood. He struggled with the cold though." Ser Barristan seemed lost in thought as he spoke, likely remembering happier times long ago.

"He takes after his other mother that way, handles the north much like the rest of us." Ned said, before realizing just what they were talking about, and who could be listening, so glanced around relaxing when he saw no one.

He tried to remember everything Cat told him about the vision she had when the children were very small. She would talk about it from time to time, talk about how it had felt to learn of his death and the death of their youngest children. How devastated she was to know that Sansa was alone in the hands of the Lannisters, and that Arya was missing. She told him of the agony she felt watching the bolts of the crossbows pierce their firstborn, and the pain of the blade slicing through her neck.

It was the fact that she felt everything so keenly that made him think that it wasn't just a vision, but an intervention from the gods, his old or her new mattered not to him, and that she was sent back to stop everything from happening. He felt the best way to do so was to save Robert so that the Lannisters would never have a chance to take the throne. After all, Robert himself promised he would send Cerci and her bastards away once a true-born son is born, and Robert would find someone to help raise the child and prepare him to rule.

It had been a month since he'd come to the capital, and he prayed everyday for news that queen was with child, but still nothing had come. It had him wondering if he made the right decision leaving Winterfell.

NSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS

"You know father would not be happy to know we were here." Sansa told her siblings as they entered the Dragon Pits, their wolves running ahead into the open expanse.

"It's not like you're going to tell him, Lady loves running here as much as Nymeria and Ghost." Arya sniped back at their sister, and Jon just rolled his eyes.

"Of course she's not going to tell him, we've been bringing them here since shortly after they had arrived in the capital, it was the only place in the city large enough for the three wolf pups could actually stretch their legs and run to their hearts content.

"He's doing it again Jon!" Sansa called, exasperated, and Jon turned to see Ghost had returned to the same spot to dig, much as he had done for a few weeks now. "Oh Jon, you must stop him, we'll never be able to explain how he got so dirty." Not wanting to deal with a hysterical Sansa he started over toward the hole Ghost had climbed down into and was only making deeper.

He wondered what could possibly have the wolf's attention so thoroughly, that he would go to the same spot everyday and dig as if his life depended it. The hole itself was now taller than the wolf who was the size of a small horse. "Ghost, Enough!" He called when he could see his wolf over the top of the hole, but the wolf just looked at him and went back to digging, it was the first time the wolf had ever disregarded him.

He was about to jump in the hole and entice Ghost out of it when a bit of white caught his eye. Slowly he climbed into the hole with his wolf, helping him dig, ignoring his sisters' calls. "Is that...?" Arya's voice finally penetrated his brain.

"It's a dragon egg." He answered as he lifted the white stone egg out of the ground marveling at the pale blue iridescent swirls and how cold it was to the touch. It was large, almost the size of a child's head, though it was much lighter than what he thought to be a fossilized dragon egg would be.

He handed the egg up up Arya, before returning his attention to Ghost, expecting him have stopped digging, only to find him digging around what appeared to be a second egg the same size as the first, though this one a dark blue, the color of the midnight sky, and silver ripples. The egg itself was almost burning to the touch.

He almost yelled out in shock when Sansa grabbed the egg from him, and was confused when she showed no signs of discomfort. "It seems like these are what Ghost was so intent on finding." Sansa said, and Jon noticed his wolf had run off.

"I wonder if they will hatch!" He was reminded then and there of just how young Arya was as he saw the childish delight on her face. "I bet these came from Balerion himself." Arya said excitedly.

"Don't be stupid, they are stone, there is no way they can be hatched." Sansa glared at her sister, as if it angered her to see her act so childishly. "Besides, no one knows how to hatch dragon eggs, the only people who were ever successful were the Targaryens, and I don't see and of them around, do you?" She lifted the egg closer to her face to look at it more clearly, her eyes growing wide, "Jon? Are you hurt? There is blood on the egg."

It was almost as if the mention of the blood on the egg brought the pain into existence, and gasping he looked down to see a deep gash in the palm of his hand. "We need to get back and have a Maester look at that." Sansa said, the look on her face told him not to argue.

"First we need to try and burn the eggs." He didn't know why he felt compelled to do so, only that the compulsion was strong, so strong he felt like he would be driven mad if he didn't.

"Are you crazy? Do you even know how much Dragon Eggs are worth, imagine how much more they would be worth if it was known they came from the actual Targaryen Dragons!" Sansa looked at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"No! They belong here with their ancestors. If we just burry them again someone else could come along and dig them up and sell them off. If we burn them then they will forever remain here, where they belong." He was adamant, the idea of anyone else having the eggs troubled him greatly, and he figured that is where the desire to burn them came from.

"Burning them is such a waste, I for one will have no part in this. You're a fool if you don't keep them, you don't have to sell them, just keep them for yourself." Sansa shoved the egg back at him then stormed off, calling for Lady to follow her.

"She's right you know, it's a waste to burn them." Arya said as she handed the white egg back to him. He winced when the weight of the egg rested in his cut hand. She too left him alone, and he set to work finding any wood he could, building a large pyre around the eggs.

He looked up when another set of hands joined in the building of the pyre, and he gave a grateful smile to Arya, his look turning confused when he saw Sansa reenter the pit. "You found them, they are your eggs, and if you want to burn them then so be it."

They worked together in silence, collecting dried brush and wood from outside the dragon pit and bringing it back in to make a large funeral pyre. He knew the flames were going to have to be extra hot to destroy the eggs, so he made the pyre much bigger than it likely needed to be.

They had just lit it when a couple of soldiers wearing Lannister red cloaks walked into the pit, "Well, well, well what do we have here? If it isn't the children of the great Lord Eddard Stark." They could hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Lord Tywin would reward us handsomely were we to punish you for the part your family played in embarrassing his family."

The men had obviously not taken the three direwolves into account when the pulled their blades, as evident by the look of fear on their faces. Jon grabbed his sister's hands, pulling them away behind him even as he unsheathed his own sword. "Quick, run to Father, I'll try to hold him off." He could see Arya wanted to argue so he turned to Sansa, "Quick, take her and go."

He could see two of the wolves break from Ghost to follow their mistresses as Sansa ran pulling Arya with her, and was glad to know they would be there to protect his sisters should one of the men try to follow them. Seeing Ghost lunge forward out if the corner of his eye brought his mind back to the present just in time to dodge a blow from one of the men's swords.

He slipped easily into battle mode, but it seemed to be no use, the man a seasoned fighter, and he a 15 year old boy who had just started thinking himself a man. Still he fought on, knowing if he failed these men would go after his sisters.

He didn't know how long he fought, but he realized he lost the moment he felt the flames of the fire tickling his back. He lost his focus just for a second when he heard his father call his name, but the man's voice was still far away, and Jon knew he would never make it in time.

It was that one moment of distraction that would be his downfall in the end as his sword was knocked from his hand, and he saw the evil glint in his opponent's eyes. He looked at the entrance of the Pits, and made eye contact with his father, reading the desperate look on the man's face. Just then the soldier lunged for him ready to push him into the fire, obviously thinking a fiery death would be worse then a quick death by the sword, a look of fear taking over his face as Jon latched onto him and brought him into the flames with him.

His father's desperate cries of his name were drowned out by an ear shattering _crack_...


	5. Chapter 5

_I do not own Game of Thrones!_

_Sorry this chapter is so late, I try to post on Saturdays, but things have gotten pretty hectic here. I will try to have the next chapter out on Saturday though._

Ned thought he could easily live another hundred years and never be able to get the vision of his son being pushed into a raging inferno out of his head. He had been alone in the court yard, making his way to yet another small counsel meeting when his daughters had practically barreled into him, gasping about the trouble Jon was in. He had taken off in the direction of the dragon pits, yelling over his shoulder for the girls to find help, not having time to wonder why his children had been there in the first place.

He arrived just in time to see the Lannister soldier push his son into one of the largest fires he'd ever seen, and he'd been too far away to stop it. He knew the mournful howl of the white dire wolf was likely to draw spectators, but the grief of losing his child brought him to his knees, all he could do was watch the wolf dance around the flames, almost as if trying to find an opening to go in and get his master.

Ser Barristan was the first to arrive, and rushed at the fire, though Ned had no idea what he hoped to find. The old knight had just disappeared behind the pillar of flames when a couple if Stark guards arrived with a couple of the gold cloaks. "What happened here Lord Hand?" One of the gold cloaks was the first to speak, even as his eyes locked onto the other dead body in the pits, the body that had obviously been killed by his son's wolf.

"My daughters came to me because two soldiers had attacked them and their brother here in the pits..." He was cut off by Ser Barristan appearing from behind the fire.

"They had apparently come to see what was going on, having noticed the smoke from the fire. They must have scared off whoever made the fire, as they were here by themselves when the Lannister guards arrived." Ser Barristan led a dazed Jon over to his father.

Jon was wrapped in the knights white cloak, his body completely hidden in the fabric. His hair almost completely singed off, but that was the only trace the fire had left on him. Relief washed through him as he wrapped his arms around his son, feeling something move beneath the cloak, but assuming it was just his imagination.

"The boy told me he and his wolf tried to hold them off long enough for his sisters to get away, but was shoved into the fire, likely with more force than intended as he rolled out the other end." Ser Barristan completed his tale, Jon having yet to speak a word.

"I saw the guard lose his footing and fall in after Jon." He confirmed the tale, and the matter was considered settled. He ordered his guards to escort him and Jon back to Jon's room, wanting to verify for himself that Jon was indeed ok. He told the gold cloaks to return to their positions, only trusting his own men.

"Lord Stark, I feel like I should warn you," Ser Barristan began, having followed them into Jon's room, presumably to get his cloak back.

"Whatever it is, it can't be worse than what I thought happened in the pits." He pushed past the old knight, and entered his son's room just in time to see two scaled heads poke out from under the cloak. "Are those...it can't be...they're gone..." He had to sit down in fear he'd fall over from the shock.

"Apparently not any more." The knight spoke behind him, and suddenly he knew just what it was Ser Barristan was trying to warn him about. "It looks to me there are two left in the world."

Ned looked to Jon who was looking at the two young dragons in awe. There was one as white as the snows seen in the north, with markings of such a pale blue color they were almost iridescent, and pale blue eyes. The other dragon was a dark blue almost black, with silver markings and eyes. He could see the reverence his son held for the tiny creatures as he slowly pet the white one under the chin, the blue one trying to nudge his way in between his brother and Jon so the boy would pet him too.

He was quick to bid the boy to dress himself, and led his daughters into the sitting area of the room to give Jon some privacy. He wanted to be surprised the girls and their wolves were waiting for them in the room, but his children were all so close, and they would have figured if Jon had been harmed in anyway he would have been brought in here.

"If Robert found out about these two he would have them killed immediately. I have half a mind to send you back to Winterfell..." He was cut off by the door slammed open, the wolves growling menacingly when the queen stormed in followed by an annoyed looking Robert.

"I told you these beasts weren't safe, and now they have attacked two of my father's guards." She was so filled with what she felt was justifiable anger that she made no mind of the wolves.

"Ghost!" All eyes turned to Jon as he exited the room fully clothed, and the white wolf snapped to attention, "My room, now." The wolf backed down and listened to his master, going into the bedroom, the female wolves following with just a look from Jon. "I beg your pardon your grace, but the Lannister soldiers attacked us first. Ghost was just trying to protect me."

Ned had to try and focus on what was being said, while thoughts were running rampant in his head. It had to be one of the gold cloaks to tell the queen, as that is the only way she and Robert would have known about it so shortly after the incident had occurred, and he knew his men would have never told. But why, what would they gain from a woman who was holding on to her power by the tips of her fingers nails.

"Girls, Jon, you three go with your wolves." He could see his son was actually going to argue, but one look at the boy quickly following his orders, taking his sisters with him.

"No, you will have them bring the beasts back this instant, it is time they were disposed of properly." Cerci ordered, but Ned walked over to Jon's room, closing the door behind his children.

"Those wolves are going no where. My children have been attacked multiple times since we've come south, and always by people with ties to the queens family." He did not address the woman, but rather his friend. "It has me wondering if it is safe for my family and I to stay."

"I know I would certainly make my way back North if I had the luck your family was having." Came a voice from the doorway, "Or I would demand anyone with connections to those responsible be sent back from whence they came." He stared at the smaller Lord in surprise.

"You do realize they are here for you as much as any of the rest of us." The queen sneered down at her brother, but the man seemed unconcerned.

"Ah, but seeing as I am about to join Lord Starks family, I am sure he could spare a guard or two for me." Tyrion Lannister looked from his sister to him enquiringly, and all he could do was nod. "There, that seems to be a rather fitting solution do you not agree." The little man turned to the king, and Robert looked like he had just been told the last of the Targaryens had been found slaughtered in their sleep.

"Aye, the Lannister guards will be given the choice, return to Lord Tywin or they can dig their own graves before being shoved in them." The man then turned and left, the queen storming off after him, Ser Barristan bringing up the rear.

"Now that that is settled who in your family was sent back." Lord Tyrion asked, and Ned looked at him in shock. "You are not acting as you did the last time you were Hand of the King, in fact you are better, though not by much." The shrewdness in the man's eyes had not been this visible the last time they had spoken at Winterfell.

"Catelyn had a vision of what the future held for our family years ago, we have been doing everything in our power to circumvent that." Ned informed the man, surprised that he seemed know everything that had happened with his wife.

"Those were not visions, the New Gods sent her back just as the Old Gods sent me back the moment I fell on the battlefield." He wanted to say that he did not believe the little man, but there was something in his eyes, something that spoke of horrors seen that just didn't exist...yet. "From what I was told she was sent back so that the rightful queen and king would be ready and willing to ascend the throne when their time came. I was send back so that the threat was known about and prepared for in time this time around."

"But you do not follow the Old Gods..." He couldn't help but question the man, knowing Lord Tyrion had never been a religious man.

"No, but my Lady Wife was, she impressed upon me the importance of the Gods when we were reunited after years of separation. It was her who impressed upon the importance of the King and Queen uniting, but I'm afraid our queen's lust for power had consumed her, and it was too late for us to bring the realm together." He could see the pain in the man's eyes, and wondered if he was thinking of the marriage that would never happen now that he was betrothed to Sansa.

He took a moment to compose himself, then turned toward the door, "We shall discuss all this later though, when we do not have an audience." He then walked over to the door to the bedroom, and opened it to show the three children trying to snoop on the conversation. "Lady Sansa, Arya, Jon." He small man addressed the three children, and it was one of the ways he seemed to show that he was not lying, everyone called Arya, Lady Arya, and Jon, Lord Jon, and they both hated the titles. "Now, it has been quite some time since I have seen those magnificent beasts that drive my sister so crazy, I was hoping to see how they had grown." It was evident just now much he liked the wolves and did not fear them, as he headed over to scratch Ghost's head, but shifted his attention to Lady when she nudged her way in.

"She likes you my lord." Sansa said with a small smile, that the man returned when a kind smile of his own.

"I'm glad to..." He trailed off when he saw a scaled head poke out of the huddle of wolves, and fought a smile when the little one chirped at him. "What have we here?" He asked, obviously wanting to reach out and lift the little one out of the pile, "You are new," He looked to Jon for permission, and stroked the scaled head when he received the nod. "A Valyrian treasure."

"Valyrion," Everyone looked to Jon after he spoke, "Valyrion, that should be his name, the other one shall be called Winter." Ned could see Lord Tyrion was about to ask, when the small white dragon joined his brother on the top of the wolf pile.


	6. Chapter 6

_I do not own Game of Thrones!_

Tyrion stared into the flames trying to compose his jumbled thoughts, well aware that his past and hopefully future good father was watching him with a weary eye. He found he had a hard time caring as he struggled with the horrors he'd seen, horrors he knew was coming for him again. "I thought when I finally closed my eyes and breathed my last breath I would finally be able to rest, finally be reunited with the lady I had come to love, the lady someone I swore my allegiance to had taken from me. I was wrong, I had expected death to lead to a sense of nothingness, I was told that is what death was, but instead I was assaulted by voices, voices of the Old Gods I was told, voices that told me I was the person they had chosen to send back in time to prevent the death and destruction of Westeros. I was not told who they sent back, but figured it had to be you or your wife as you were the only two that had any marked change from before."

"I was instructed it was up to me to make the threat known, that I had to choose my allies wisely, as many would dismiss my warning. When I next opened my eyes I was at Castle Black, and confused as to why Jon Snow was not there. It took me weeks to sort my memories out, the ones from this life and my previous one, but it was clear, the fact that things in this life were so different from what I remembered meant the person the New Gods had sent back had already started their part in preventing the future I had already lived."

"We did everything wrong the last time..." He finally started, turning to look at Lord Eddard Stark of all people, as well as a confused Ser Barristan Selmy. "Everything went to shit the moment King Robert died." He held his hand up to stall what ever was going to come from Lord Starks lips, "Surly you have realized that he is a piss poor king, that much has not changed. He then proceeded to fill the two men in on what happened after the death of the king, not sparing Lord Stark any of the gory details of what befell his family.

"I would suggest, Lord Stark, that you send your children back North now, sooner rather than later." He looked seriously at the man.

"With the Lannister men being sent away my children will be perfectly safe." The man was just as stubborn as before, and he found it frustrating.

"And when the dragons begin to grow? I assure you Lord Start, they will grow, and they will grow fast." He left out that if things happened like last time they would all be running from the capital in fear of their lives in just a few moons turns. "I can not force you to send your children away, but I suggest you double or triple your guard on them."

"I also suggest we send some men to bring Daenerys back to Westeros, unfortunately there is no way to do this before she will lose her baby." He had sometimes wondered if the loss of her child is what started her down the road to madness.

The fact that she would put the needs of her dragons over the needs of the people of Westeros should have been a big enough sign that something was not right with his queen, but he hadn't seen it. Sansa had, she had tried to draw his attention to it, had tried to bring it to Jon's attention, but both of them just thought it was the ordeal she had gone through that made her untrusting of the queen. In the end only Arya believed her sister, but she had gone south just like the rest of them, no one knowing about the unsullied solider sent to assassinate the woman he'd become reacquainted with upon arrival at Winterfell, the woman he'd fallen in love with.

They had spent time together reminiscing about their time in Kings Landing, and what had happened to them after they left. They grew closer as time passed, when he wasn't serving the queen and she wasn't preparing the North for winter. He had admired the woman she had grown into, her strength appeared to others as coldness, but he knew it was just her way of protecting herself.

He still remembered the joy he felt when the message had reached him that he was going to be a father. He dreamt of a small red haired, green eyed child nightly, which made the news of his wife's death that much more devastating. Had he known it was on the queen's orders he would have been the one to kill her, not Jon Snow.

When he had seen the dragons hidden in the pile of wolves he had been tempted to send an assassin himself to kill the young queen, but he had to remind himself that she hadn't always been mad, that she too could be saved, that she was not the one who had done the atrocious things to him and the people he loved. He also promised himself if he saw any signs of that madness he would make sure to kill her himself.

"I will write to the man I have watching the Targaryen prince and princess, and have him bring them to me should he sense any danger toward them." He looked at Lord Stark in confusion, "Jorah Mormont has been watching over the Targaryens since his exile, he informs me of the goings on with the children."

"The brother is not worth bringing over, and if I'm not mistaken he is already dead or likely soon will be." He felt no sympathy for the prince who would frequently harm his sister, and wondered how Mormont could allow that to happen. "Daenerys and Jorah were close last time, he was in love with her if I am not mistaken."

"He sees her as a daughter if I'm not mistaken." Lord Stark informed him, and he was surprised yet again on just how much had changed, and yet so much was still the same.

"And her state of mind?" He was almost afraid to ask, and it came through in his voice.

"Sane as far as Jorah can tell, he says she is a sweet girl with a gentle heart." Tyrion could tell the man really didn't care if she was sane, kind, or anything else, he was just stating facts. "Jorah has taught both children about their families past, sparing no details. It is our hope that they will learn from their families history."

"Let us all hope so!" Tyrion said as he studied the two men before him.

TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL

Jorah watched as Dany interacted with the her handmaidens in the Khalasar, his heart lifting when he saw the genuine happiness in her face, her hand resting in the slight protrusion of her belly. He'd felt like he had failed her when Viserys went behind his back and arranged the marriage between her and the Khal. It's not he could have done anything to stop it, he was not her father even if that was how he saw himself.

When Eddard Stark had exiled him while asking him to watch over the Targaryen children he thought the man had lost his mind. It had been a blessing though as it gave him something to focus on when his wife, the woman he'd gotten exiled for, left him for another man.

He had fought off many an assassin to protect the children, and had done everything he felt possible to protect Dany from her brother, though it was clear to him the madness had already set in where the boy was concerned. He had thought the children saw him almost like a father, he knew the princess definitely did. He had stopped as much of the abuse the brother wishes to inflict on the sister as he could, and was rewarded with a sweet but shy adopted daughter he loved more than life. He had thought he'd done a decent job curtailing the madness; that is until he found out about the betrothal of Dany to the Khal.

Through the years he'd spent on the run with the children he had taken the time to learn languages and customs of the people in the areas they lived in so that he knew how to help them blend in without offending someone and drawing anymore attention to themselves. He was glad he had when he joined Drogo's Khalasar so he could stay with Dany, and watch over Viserys, though the young man no longer saw him as an authority figure.

Once the young man really embraced the idea of being King there was no controlling him. He no longer listened to Jorah, the man who had protected and raised him for years, the man he now saw as just another subject there to revere him. For the last few years all the young man could talk about was taking his throne back and making the usurper and his allies pay.

No matter how many times he warned the Prince that his family was not well thought of, and that allies would be hard to come by, he was ignored. The prince would go on and on about the people toasting his name and praying for his return. Where he got that idea Jorah knew not, he had not spared the children the facts of what their father had done, fearing that if it was not made known to them history might just repeat itself. Sure he watered down the details when they were younger, but they were old enough to know the full truth and he made sure he told it. He was quick to find out that the prince would hear nothing of it, he was adamant that his father was in the right just because he sat on a metal chair and wore a golden crown.

The princess on the other hand, while horrified by what her family had done, listened to what he had to say and expressed remorse. She frequently went to him and just spoke about what.

"Ser Jorah," The sweet voice pulled him from his thoughts and he turned to see the silver haired princess approaching him.

"My Princess," He addressed her with a smile. When with the Khalasar he would address her as Khaleesi, but when they were alone she would always be the little princess he raised.

He could see something was bothering her, but knew if he waited long enough she would tell him. "Do you think he deserved what Drogo did to him?" Ah, she was worried about her brother's fate.

"Your brother knew that weapons were not allowed, and yet he still threatened the Khaleesi and unborn babe of the Khal. Drogo would have been seen as weak if he hadn't done what he did, and you and Raego would have been in danger of being murdered by someone looking to take his place. You are best protected if Drogo appears strong." He explained, but he could still see the uncertainty in her eyes.

"It just seemed like such a gruesome death, something my father..." And there it was. Since learning what her father had been like the princess had been concerned about turning out anything like him.

"Daenerys, you could never be anything like your father." He forced her to look at him so she could see he spoke the truth, "Sometime the evil need to be punished, be they people or deeds, the important thing is to make sure the punishment is fair. Cruelty for the sake of cruelty is never right, but what Drogo did was not cruel. Viserys knew the laws of this land, and chose to blatantly disregard them and for this he was punished. And what's more, Drogo did it without breaking any laws."


	7. Chapter 7

_I do not own Game of Thrones!_

_Those of you who are upset that I followed the shows plot line for Dany, and made it a lot worse, I apologize. I was furious about what they did to her character as well, she was one of my favorites. I knew I was going to have to bring another person back, one who knew about the true threat in the North, thus Tyrion is now back as well. My Dany had someone to protect her growing up, someone who told her the truth about her family, and didn't paint them as the victims, so she will keep her gentle heart, the one that wanted all slaves freed, but Will not jump to violence and burning people. I hope to make her more like Jon's character in the show in that aspect, she sees the necessity of it, but does not enjoy it._

_Also, Jon will seem out character, but I believe he could have become this person had he had the loving support of Lady Catelyn to back him up._

"Arya?" Jon spoke in a tone that said he knew he had caught her doing something she knew she shouldn't be doing, "What are you feeding them?" He had his hands on his hips as she hid the chunk of meat she had been about to feed Winter behind her back. By the looks of things Valyrion had already gotten his treat from Jon's sister.

"Nothing," she tried to sound convincing, but watched as Jon pulled a wrapped up piece of cloth from his pocket, opening it to reveal some cooked pieces of meat. She just rolled her eyes as she tossed the little chunk in her hand to Nymeria, and took a piece from Jon, "I don't see what the big deal is, why they cant just have the goat I brought them."

"You know as well as I that livestock is not as plentiful in the North, so why give them a taste for a resource our people don't have enough of to spare, and do you realize just how much they will be able to eat as they grow? Robb would be very cross with me if I let these two eat all of his people's meat." Jon grinned as he ruffled her hair, the dragons chirping at the two of them. "Best teach them now that wild game is their food source."

"They are dragons, they should be able to do what they want, there is nothing on this earth that can beat them." Arya argued back at him, and he just smiled and shook his head at her way of thinking.

"Aye, they are big and powerful, but that doesn't mean they cant or shouldn't be controlled. The king is the most powerful man in the land, he could order our entire family killed, and people would listen...but would that make it right?" the young girl shook her head, "And they have been defeated in the past, they were locked up in the dragon pits because they couldn't or weren't being controlled. That is why I am trying to train them young as to what kind of meat is appropriate food for them. The people rely on their livestock for more than just food, it gives them milk, and clothing, blankets and the like. Far more important than a partial meal for a dragon. Let Winter and Valyrion their fill of stag and be done with it."

"Besides, it gives Ghost a reason to hunt." He looked up and saw his father watching them, and motioned to his sister to look at him. He watched as his father told his sister to run along to her dancing lesson, which all of them knew meant her sword lessons.

"Do you think feeding them only wild game will make a difference in what they eat?" His father asked when they were alone.

"I don't know for sure, I mean I know the meat tastes and smells different to me, so why wouldn't it to them?" Jon watched as his father mulled it over, "I guess we'll have to wait till they are old enough to hunt on their own to know for sure." He was stern with them when they tried to take food from his plate, more so if it wasn't wild. He wanted them to associate that taste with something bad so that they wouldn't hunt it in the future.

He also made sure to discipline them when they acted out and snapped at him or any of the others helping him raise them. He knew he had to be stern with them now when they were babies or he would never be able to control them as adults.

"That we will," His father responded as he studied him close, almost appearing lost in thought, "Will you be joining your sisters for that blasted tournament?" There was no way he would be going, as he had much to do when it came to running the realm, and trying to make the king interested in doing what was best for his people.

"Aye, and I hope you will find time to join us as well, I know the girls would love to have you there with us as well." Ned sighed, and Jon knew his father was hating the fact that he was disappointing his children, but also doing everything in his power to keep them alive and together.

He was not blind, nor was he foolish. For all his parents treated him as an equal to his siblings, he was still seen as a bastard in the south, whats worse, he was a Northern bastard at that. The good thing about that is that he is mostly ignored and was able to over hear stuff. He knew his father was not well received by many of those who held power. They believed him easy to control, and feared whoever may get that control.

It was blatantly obvious here that while people said they served the King they really served themselves or someone else. He had yet to figure out who served whom, but was thankful that his mother had indulged his love of reading, and had pointed him in the direction of books on the kings of the past, where he was able to find recountings of the rulers and the people who betrayed them.

It drove home the reality that while his father believed in honor before all else, others did not, and would gladly use that belief against him.

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Jon made his way through the stands and took a seat next to Sansa, ready to watch a joust for the first time ever in his life. He saw the man he knew knew to be his mother's childhood friend seated behind her, and instantly his skin began to crawl. He sometimes wondered if he were to feed this man, or one of the others in the city like him, to his dragons would they be able to recognize those that reeked of treachery and eat them without having to be commanded. It would be a good way to get rid of those willing to hurt others for their own gain.

He felt weird wearing the Southern style of clothing, but had lost a bet to Sansa and had to wear what ever she picked out for him. Luckily she went easy in him and dressed him in Stark colors, though the lighter materials still made him feel naked. He was glad to see he wasn't the only one to honor their bargain as Arya was dressed like a proper lady and looked just as uncomfortable as he felt.

Again, Sansa had gone easy on their little sister, finding her a Southern style dress in Stark colors, Arya's brown hair done up in a noethern style, pieces of it already falling out. Jon was pretty confident Arya would never challenge Sansa to an archery contest again. Not since Arya split her focus on the different fighting styles, and Sansa focused solely on archery.

He watched as the competitors for the joust were announced, and watched the first tilt with rapt attention. It was on the second tilt that things took a gruesome turn. The Mountain, quite possibly the biggest man Jon had ever seen, his lance splintered, a piece of it lodging itself into the neck of his opponent.

He, along with the rest of the horrified spectators watched as the knight spluttered and coughed up blood. It was a slow and agonizing death, and he was sorely tempted to unsheathe his sword and put the man out of his misery.

He was stalled when someone behind him leaned forward to whisper in his sister's ear. He let the man finish his story before turning and making his presence known, "And how would Sandor Clegane feel about you spreading tales of this unfortunate incident around?" Seeing just how uncomfortable the man had made Sansa made watching him squirm all the better. "Just think of what my father and mother would think of you telling their young daughter such a tale."

"I beg your pardon Lord Snow; pardon again, Lord Stark, it was done with the best of intention." The slimy man said, but Jon did not rise to the bait, knowing he needed to keep a cool head if he was to look out for his sisters that day.

"Nor do I think it proper to threaten young girls because of information you gave them." He stared the man down, and was rewarded for his effort when the man stood and nodded to him before leaving.

"Sansa, Arya, stay with the Septa until one of the household guard arrive to escort you back to the palace." The older woman nodded to him, as he turned to go find his father. something was not right with with Lord Baelish, and he wanted to make sure his father knew about it.

He found a couple of the household guards and sent them to watch over his sisters before making his way to his fathers solar. When he arrived he could hear voices on the other side of the door.

"You are lucky all Robert did was restrict your movement through out the castle, he has allowed your son to remain here with you..."

"Yes, but I have to endure attentions every night, in between his different whores, in the same bed that he entertains his whores. All the while my two other children have been shipped off." The queen sounded angry as she spoke.

"Aye, and you were lucky we were able talk Robert into allowing them to live. Make no mistake my queen, you are not the victim here, everything that is happening to you was your own doing. Your children are innocent, and do not deserve to be punished for their parent's actions. Were it possible I would have had them sent to Dorne where bastards are treated kindly, but your father burned those bridges when he ordered the deaths of Elia Martell and her children." His father slammed something down against a hard surface and Jon realized he had never heard the man so angry.

"You can deny your families part in that travesty all you want, the realm knows who commands the Mountain." The ice in the man's voice was fitting of the Warden of the North. "Now, I have work to do." He heard the queens quick footsteps as she stormed out of the solar, Jon ducking into the nearest alcove so as not to be seen.

Instead he made his way back to his room to check on Valyrion and Winter. The dragons were growing quickly, neither one bigger than the other. He would be lying if he said he never thought about the possibility of riding one of them, but he never felt more of a connection with one over the other. He had never heard of a dragon rider having two mounts, but in his dreams he rode the two of them equally.

"We are going to have to find a new place to keep you, my room will not be big enough for much longer." He said as he lovingly petted the dark head of Valyrion, Winter trying to nudge his way in. He knew it wouldn't be long before they would be too big to smuggle out of the city, and hoped his father decided to send him and his dragons home soon.


	8. Chapter 8

_I do not own Game of Thrones!_

He had finally come to terms with the fact that there was nothing left of his old friend in the man he called his king, and any loyalty he felt for Robert had all but vanished. The final straw was when Robert ordered assassins to murder a young girl and her unborn child, an order the council seemed more than happy to carry out. He had tried to quit, had thrown the hand of the king pin back at Robert, telling him that he would have no part in murdering a girl, and Robert had ordered him to stay, and then had left on a hunting trip. It would be the last hunting trip Robert would ever go on, the man was gored by one of the boars he so loved to hunt.

Ned stormed into the Tower Of the Hand, barking orders to his household, and wondering how things had gotten as bad as they had. The king had just died, and while normally he would have headed straight to the throne room to claim the throne for the rightful king, Robert's brother Stannis, he had instead listened to Ser Barristan's advice to get him and his family out of there. He had no doubt that the queen would seize the throne for Joffrey, nor did he trust the gold cloaks to be on his side like Lord Baelish had promised, as he was sure the queen and her father had men placed in their ranks over the years. He figured it would be best to get his children and household out of the city and back in the North, and then decide from there whether to involve the north in the squabbles for the Iron Throne, or if he should take what Lord Tyrion said about the Nights King to heart and ready his men for an army from the north.

"Jory, I need you to find a man you trust implicitly, and have him book passage on the quickest ship to can find. he needs to sail to Pentos and find Jorah Mormont, have him make sure this finds it's way into his hands and only his hands." He told his captain of the guard, as he handed him a sealed scroll. He had to do everything in his power to try and prevent the assassination attempt, and the only way to do so would be to warn the man he had protecting the young princess. He had been surprised when word had reached him of the prince's death, but after hearing tales of the child growing up it was plain as day that the boy had suffered from the Targaryen madness.

Not long after Jory left and he could hear the sound of men in armor marching down the halls toward him, and he reached for Ice, ready to do what he had to in order to protect his children. He had expected the men to knock on his door, so was surprised when instead it splintered and men in red cloaks came pouring in. What's more, is he was sure Robert had ordered the Lannister soldiers to return to the Westerlands, but obviously they were not as loyal to the king as they were to the queen.

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Jon startled when he heard the knock on his door, and glanced back at his dragons in fear. Those who knew about the two animals were not in the habit of knocking. Apparently these men weren't either, as seconds later the door splintered, and Ghost was on his feet snarling at the men in the red cloaks. Quickly he grabbed his sword, ready to defend himself as well as his wolf and dragons. He could hear one of the men scream as Ghost sunk his teeth into his arm, and the saw the rest of the men had already had their swords out. They were obviously not here on friendly business.

They didn't even try to talk to him, instead came right at him with their swords raised. They were not expecting to be ambushed from behind by a contingent of Stark guards lead by Ser Barristan Selmy of all people. Once all the Lannister men were dead the old knight turned to him, "Get your dragons boy, we must be going, and don't have time to waste." Jon nodded, scooping the two small dragons into a pack he could easily swing up onto his back, thankful they were still small enough to fit in it.

He was surprised when the old knight took up the protective position in front of him, but did not question it, instead he kept his guard up and helped the old knight and Stark men fight their way through the castle. Only stopping when they heard wolves howl, though the howls were coming from different directions, "You, go that way, protect whichever of my sisters you find, Ser Barristan and I will go this way." The old knight nodded, and the group split up, each going in the direction the howls had come from.

They arrived in Arya's dancing room just as his little sister was darting out the door, "Follow her, I'll stay and help the dancing master, go, hide in the tunnels under the keep and we will come find you." Ser Barristan said, and Jon took off after Arya, finally catching up to her and Nymeria as they exited the keep through the stables, and he saw her bend down to pull needle from her spilt trunk.

"Quick, we must go!" He called, pulling her along behind him, back into the keep and down into the tunnels below. The two ended up hiding down behind one of the large dragon skulls, waiting for Ser Barristan to come for them, ducking down when they heard voices.

"Are you sure this is where we were supposed to go?"

Jon stood at the sound of the familiar voice, "Sansa?" Sure enough she and Lord Tyrian came around the corner, the majority of the guard that Jon had sent off for her were with them. She smiled in relief when she saw him, and rushed to throw her arms around him.

"Septa Mordane and I had been heading outside for fresh air when Lannister guards came for us. Luckily Lord Tyrion showed up, and threatened them, telling them their lord, his father, would be angry with them if they were to hurt his betrothed. It was enough to make them head back to the queen as she is the one who gave them the orders. It was then Lord Tyrian told us to come down here, and the rest of the guards showed up, but why come here?" She asked, obviously confused with the situation.

"This is the easiest place to smuggle you out of the city." Ser Barristan said as he came around the corner, the dancing master, another contingent of Stark guards behind him, Lord Stark with them leaning heavily on a young boy who was built like nothing Jon had ever seen. He imagined that King Robert would have been built like this boy when he was younger, if the stories about him were true.

The group hunkered down behind the skulls, hearing the sounds of people moving through the keep, obviously looking for them. Jon counted the men left, and knew they had lost around 15 men in the flight from the keep, and wondered how many more would be lost before they were safely from the city. It was hard to tell how long they were down in the tunnels, waiting for it to be safe to leave. Down here they couldn't see the sun, and were brought food once in a while that they tried to ration over a set period of time.

"It is time for you all to go." Came a soft voice, and Jon saw the eunuch, Lord Varys, standing at the opening of a tunnel Jon hadn't even seen until then, "If you follow this tunnel it will take you just outside the wall, Lords Stark and Lannister, Ser Barristan, along with the children will be able to join a man from the Nightswatch as he heads back North, the rest of you I suggest follow at a distance and try not to be seen as a group this size would only draw attention."

He lead them through the tunnel, and wished them luck at the end of it. The man from the Nightswatch was sitting just outside the gate with a group of young boys and three men locked in irons. "I appreciate this Yoren," Jon's father said as he shook hands with the man and was helped into the seat of the wagon. He had taken a blow to the leg while fighting his way down to the tunnels, and so had trouble walking.

Jon helped Sansa and Lord Tyrion into the wagon carrying supplies while the other boy, the one who had been helping support his father, Gendry, helped Arya. Then the two of them walked along the wagon, Ser Barristan never far from Jon's side, which he did not understand, but enjoyed non the less. He enjoyed learning from the man, and listening to stories of the dragon kings from the past. He had noticed how the man would clam up when he spoke of Rhaegar Targaryen, always seeming happy to share his memories, and barely stopping himself when he remembered what he had done to Jon's aunt.

Finally he told the man he wanted to hear about the dragon prince, hoping that maybe he could decipher how a man that everyone said was shaping up to be a kind and just ruler could them turn around and kidnap and rape a woman. He had always thought that the whole situation did not make sense, and just figured people just overlooked the cruelty in the dragon prince. However, the more he heard from the old knight, the more he had to wonder about how a man that seemed to be very concerned about the good of the realm could them turn around and do what he did.

It was just a couple days into their journey when they were stopped by a few Lannister guards looking for Gendry of all people. Yoren told them off to leave the group alone, but the men refused to listen, and in the end lost their lives to the swords of Yoren, Ser Barristan, and his father. After that they increased the speed at which they were traveling, knowing more guards would be coming after them.

During the journey he had taken to training the boys headed for the Nightswatch, along with training Gendry to use a sword. He found he enjoyed the company of the larger boy, and was happy that he didn't seem to mind Arya tagging along with them. Gendry had been offered a position in his father's household as an apprentice to the Smith there, which Gendry had happily accepted.

Jon had never been more relieved than when he had seen Riverrun come into view. He had met his mother's family once, and while he remembered his uncle as being not quite the brightest of men, he had liked his grandfather. He remembered the men had taken a while to warm up to him, but his mother had not allowed them to treat him any different than the children she had birthed herself, and eventually the men had warmed to him.

He and his father were not surprised to learn that the queen had seized the throne for Joffrey, nor that Stannis and Renly had called their banners to fight for the throne themselves. What had surprised them was the new that they had all been taken prisoner had been sent out, and Robb was now marching south with their army to try and free them.

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Cersei looked out from her position next to the Iron Throne. She was relishing in her victory over the people who had done everything in their power to shame her. They had taken her children from her, taken Jamie from her, taken her freedom from her, but in the end it was their arrogance that had been their downfall.

Robert who only cared for his drinking and whoring never actually made sure she had actually followed his orders. He never made sure she had sent the Lannister guards back to the rock, he had never noticed the housing she paid for them from the crown's treasury, courtesy of help from Petyr Baelish.

Nor had he noticed the morning doses of moon tea brought by her handmaidens each morning. The fools fear of her father and destabilizing the realm had led them to keep Joffrey as Crown Prince, and allowed her to put him on the throne when Robert succumbed to his injuries, injuries caused by her encouraging her cousin Lancel to continue keeping the kings cup full had caused.

There were only two things that she did not think of with pride, the first being that Lord Stark and his household had disappeared along with Ser Barristan and her demon brother. She hated to think that the man would get away with how he had caused her treatment, and not be punished for it. That she could not take his children from him, the way hers had been taken from her.

She could care less about Ser Barristan, his leaving opened up the position of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard which she had already had Joffrey name Jamie to. Her brother would arrive with their father when he came to take the position of Hand of the King. It also allowed Joffrey a position for his dog and kept her son happy.

Her anger at her brother's escape almost equaled that of the anger at the Starks escape. She had dreamed of making him for killing her mother for years. Oh how she dreamed of having Joffrey try him and then execute him.

The other thing she was not proud if is how her son handled Robert's bastards. She believed that children should only be hurt if it was absolutely necessary, and she did not see killing them as necessary for whatever her goal for Joffrey's reign was. She also did not dwell on this train of thought either...after all, they were just bastards.


End file.
